Three more die with swine flu in Qld

A critically-ill patient suffering from swine flu was flown 700km by helicopter
because it was the best option available, Queensland Health officials say.
The incident came as health authorities warned of a possible second wave of the
virus after a peak later this month.
Three more Queenslanders with swine flu have died over the past three days, bringing
the state's death toll to 12.
A woman in her 50s died in Townsville Hospital and a man in his 20s died in Gold
Coast Hospital on Saturday.
A man in his 30s died at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital on Monday.
Meanwhile, the critically-ill patient was flown from Atherton east to Cairns where
no beds were available in intensive care at that city's hospital.
The 48-year-old man was then flown south to Townsville for transfer to another
helicopter and flown further south to Mackay, where beds were available at the
Mackay Base Hospital. It was known that there were no beds available at Townsville
Hospital.
Queensland Health deputy director-general for policy and planning, Andrew Wilson,
said the patient's health was the priority and he was placed in the most appropriate
bed available.
"This was the best arrangement for this patient at that particular point in time,"
Mr Wilson told reporters in Brisbane.
"We don't have to move patients that far very often but it does occur.
"It's not totally unique and certainly in a state of this length and breadth it's
not unusual that we have to fly patients quite a significant distance."
Mr Wilson apologised to the man's family.
"In other circumstances we would have preferred to have cared for him closer to
home," he said.
"We are in the middle of winter, we are in the middle of the flu season, so demand
for intensive care beds is at an all-time high in that regard."
The patient, who was flown while on a ventilator, is still critically ill but
stable, Mr Wilson said.
Queensland's chief health officer Jeannette Young said staff availability in the
face of a protracted pandemic also had to be considered when allocating patients to
beds and the patient could receive excellent care in Mackay.
"It was actually a very sensible thing for that patient," she said.
Dr Young said the swine flu pandemic is expected to peak within the next three
weeks, but it could be followed by a second wave.
"I think we'll probably have increased numbers of patients to manage until we get
the vaccine," she said.
She said the vaccine should be ready for distribution in October.
Health officers from around the nation will meet as the Australia Health Protection
Committee later this week to decide on the priorities for vaccination.